The sensitive in this experiment is designated as Mr. C., and the operator as Mr. S. There was no contact or any communication whatsoever of the ordinary kind between them. C. was hypnotized, but was not informed of the nature of the experiment which was to be tried. The operator stood behind the hypnotized subject, and Mr. Gurney, standing behind the operator, handed him the different substances to be used in the experiment, and he, in turn, placed them in his own mouth.
Salt was first so tasted by the operator, whereupon the subject, C., instantly and loudly cried out: "What's that salt stuff?" Sugar was given. C. replied, "Sweeter; not so bad as before." Powdered ginger; reply, "Hot, dries up your mouth; reminds me of mustard." Sugar given again; reply, "A little better--a sweetish taste." Other substances were tried, with similar results, the last one tasted being vinegar, when it was found that C. had fallen into the deeper lethargic condition and made no reply.
Another experiment is reported by Dr. William A. Hammond of Washington. The doctor said:
"A most remarkable fact is, that some few subjects of hypnotism experience sensations from impressions made upon the hypnotizer. Thus, there is a subject upon whom I sometimes operate whom I can shut up in a room with an observer, while I go into another closed room at a distance of one hundred feet or more with another observer. This one, for instance, scratches my hand with a pin, and instantly the hypnotized subject rubs his corresponding hand, and says, 'Don't scratch my hand so;' or my hair is pulled, and immediately he puts his hand to his head and says, 'Don't pull my hair;' and so on, feeling every sensation that I experience."
This experiment, it must be borne in mind, is conducted in closed rooms a hundred feet apart, and through at least two partitions or closed doors, and over that distance and through these intervening obstacles peculiar and definite sensations experienced by one person are perceived and definitely described by another person, no ordinary means of communication existing between them. This is an example of the rapport existing between the operator and hypnotized subject carried to an unusual degree.